The Challenge of Understanding China’s Mpox Outbreak
by Candice Clark
2 August 2023—Almost a year after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) a public health emergency, the outbreak has shifted from the US and Europe to Asia, with China experiencing a concerning increase in cases. The Chinese government’s response to the outbreak has not been as proactive as its measures against Covid-19, and there has been no mention of using mpox vaccines, despite their proven effectiveness in other countries.
The lack of transparency in China’s reporting of mpox data, coupled with the way the WHO aggregates and publishes the data, makes it difficult to understand the scale of the outbreak in the country. China has only published a one-time report tallying cases from June 2 to June 30, with no information on weekly developments or cases before or after June. However, the WHO dashboard shows a consistent stream of new cases reported by China several times a week, as recently as July 20.
It is important to note that the recent mpox data listed under China on the WHO website includes cases reported in Taiwan and Hong Kong. This lack of data separation obscures the urgency and severity of the outbreak in China and makes it challenging to track the impact of public health measures. The Chinese government’s reluctance to use mpox vaccines contrasts with Taiwan’s proactive approach, where over 72,000 shots have already been administered.
The aggregated data also raises concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the information. The WHO data showing a 550% increase in weekly new cases in China between July 10 and July 17 can be misleading without an understanding of the direction of the outbreak and the broken pattern of case reporting from China.
International organizations like the WHO can only rely on individual countries to voluntarily report data, and their ability to provide accurate information depends on the transparency and timeliness of reporting. Unfortunately, political sensitivities between China and Taiwan may hinder the disaggregation of mpox data and the provision of transparent and timely case counting.
In conclusion, understanding the scale and severity of the mpox outbreak in China is challenging due to the lack of transparent reporting and the aggregation of data including cases from Taiwan. The WHO should strive for greater transparency and encourage countries to provide accurate and timely data to effectively combat infectious diseases.
CONTACT:
Maciej Heyman
PR News
pr@satprnews.com
Source: Fagen Wasanni Technologies
https://fagenwasanni.com/news/the-challenge-of-understanding-chinas-mpox-outbreak/105913/
"Reproduced with permission - Fagen Wasanni Technologies"
Fagen Wasanni Technologies
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